are Christians weak?

[Galilee63]

Without Jesus and Repentance of sins to Jesus Christ our Merciful Saviour people/hearts/souls face God our Heavenly Father's wrath eternally after passing over and/or when Jesus appears here. Jesus makes this clear within His Holy Word and makes this clear through His Saints/Nuns of whom Jesus has appeared and taken on Holy Tours of Heaven Hell and Purgatory with many lay people whom have seen Heaven hell and Purgatory with souls going to hell and in hell of whom did not believe in Jesus, ignored Jesus during their earthly lives and did not repent sins to Jesus and most sadly many souls of Children not saved. With many people having placed the material things first before Jesus God and The Holy Spirit and many people having placed careers and great incomes first before Jesus God and The Holy Spirit and Mother Mary of Whom leads hearts/souls back to Her Son Jesus continually trying with The Holy Spirit to get through to hearts/people before passing over and before the last day of which we are in the last days according to Jesus Christ our Merciful Saviour so people do not have long to turn to Jesus from hearts opened to Him in repentance of sins and receive Him into hearts, to receive His Blessed Holy Sacraments, to pray and talk to Him in trust.

Pray in trust to Jesus and ask for our Heavenly Mother Mary with The Holy Spirits loving Holy intercession daily and Consecrate Hearts to Jesus and Mother Mary

 

[Meowzltov]

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

Different people are given different levels of inner strength. She can't claim to be more virtuous, because she was born with more strength, more spiritual fortitude: she didn't white knuckle it, it came naturally to her, so she doesn't get to accept credit for it. IOW she owes God for his grace that she was born with a morally easier life. When she looks at those who struggle with sin, it would be more rational for her to think, "There but for the grace of God go I."

 

[Ajushi]

Hi All, hope everyone is doing well and living gloriously in Christ!

Had an interesting conversation yesterday with a non-believer, who actually (in a way, maybe it was just my perception) looked down on me for following Jesus. She is a successful career woman who has achieved much and lives a good life, she gives to the needy, generally doesnt speak ill of others and lives by a lot of "Godly principles". (Do unto others as you want done to yourself, etc, etc).

She feels accomplished that she has achieved this all on her own and hinted at the subtle changes in me (as i continue my daily struggle with patience, being more graceful and controlling my spewing tongue, it must be paying off).

It's not that she said anything directly, but implication flowed from our conversation that she considers it "cheating" that i have help, ("i can do anything through God who gives me strength" came up). It made me feel like i am weaker than what she is, not being able to amount to much without God's Holy Intervention in my life.

I KNOW this is the devil working to sow doubt in my mind, and i am by no means ashamed of it that i need God. I dont think so anyway. It DID however raise a few questions internally which i wish it hadnt.

She is a good person, in my opinion and lives a "clean" life. Without God? I dont want to consider that she draws her strength from the devil, because she does not "bear bad fruits" if i can phrase it that way.

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

Yes she draws her strength from satan and from the flesh.
You on the other hand hage to deal with infirmities of the flesh which she isn't even faced with, as well as attacks from the devil, which she doesn't hage to deal with on anywhere near the level Christians do.

The Bible says to not have any fellowship or friendship whatsoever with unbelievers. We shouldn't open our character and heart to them. Instead, Witness in a manner that shows you hage kindness and goodness, but never open up to them about anything. They turn and tear us to pieces. Which is what that woman is doing to you

She should be expressing compassion for the fact that you have to struggle with convictions ( including if you are unmarried, extreme sexual repression), that she doesn't even know exist, and with attacks from the devil which she doesn't even know exist.

Do you understand, that's what you are opening up to. Someone who hasn't the faintest clue or any ability at all to have compassion towards what we are dealing with

The Bible says for us to instead invest that love into the Christians who are suffering with unmet needs.

Also that women should be a submissive Christian wife to her Christian husband. She is instead a conceited, domineering career woman who has made an idol out of career. She lives in a society thet condones women fornicating and working jobs and keeping their own apartments where they csm fornicate freely with whomever they choose. It's a massively destructive pattern in society that creates an intensely harsh atmosphere for Christians.

 

[rocknanchor]

I had a tough time following your post, because intellectually you are more advanced in these matters (still a nooby here). Would you mind terribly to rephrase in laments terms as i really want to grasp the concept.

Sure; the Christian's differing weaknesses, coupled with differing reluctance doesn't change God's provided strength. So, isn't that reluctance hiding the Christian's strength?

 

[Near]

She is a good person, in my opinion and lives a "clean" life. Without God? I dont want to consider that she draws her strength from the devil, because she does not "bear bad fruits" if i can phrase it that way.

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

She is a successful career woman who has achieved much and lives a good life, she gives to the needy, generally doesnt speak ill of others and lives by a lot of "Godly principles". (Do unto others as you want done to yourself, etc, etc).

It made me feel like i am weaker than what she is, not being able to amount to much without God's Holy Intervention in my life.

I KNOW this is the devil working to sow doubt in my mind, and i am by no means ashamed of it that i need God. I dont think so anyway. It DID however raise a few questions internally which i wish it hadnt.

The non-Christian woman that you are talking about is relying on the power of Satan in her life.

Considering all of that, I suppose she could be in league with Satan, but more likely and less villainously, she's using her normal human ability to strive in life to achieve personal glory, and fulfill a humanistic lifestyle.
When it comes to academics, I don't have straight A's. There are non-believers who do. They simply use their God-given human ability, and channel their focus, and motivation towards reaching their goals.
So, everyone has the same ability when it comes to making decisions, since we can all make decisions. God has given that to everyone, including your successful acquaintance. I'll also add, success isn't always determined by one person. I remember reading Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers, and the theme was that certain people are hugely successful due to their ability, interests, and motivation, but perhaps more importantly, and the book focused on this, the resources available in their areas and times, whether it's a library, a good home, a good neighborhood, etc. A person's success in business tends to be a product of many things, one of many being the individual.

 

[Colter]

Hi All, hope everyone is doing well and living gloriously in Christ!

Had an interesting conversation yesterday with a non-believer, who actually (in a way, maybe it was just my perception) looked down on me for following Jesus. She is a successful career woman who has achieved much and lives a good life, she gives to the needy, generally doesnt speak ill of others and lives by a lot of "Godly principles". (Do unto others as you want done to yourself, etc, etc).

She feels accomplished that she has achieved this all on her own and hinted at the subtle changes in me (as i continue my daily struggle with patience, being more graceful and controlling my spewing tongue, it must be paying off).

It's not that she said anything directly, but implication flowed from our conversation that she considers it "cheating" that i have help, ("i can do anything through God who gives me strength" came up). It made me feel like i am weaker than what she is, not being able to amount to much without God's Holy Intervention in my life.

I KNOW this is the devil working to sow doubt in my mind, and i am by no means ashamed of it that i need God. I dont think so anyway. It DID however raise a few questions internally which i wish it hadnt.

She is a good person, in my opinion and lives a "clean" life. Without God? I dont want to consider that she draws her strength from the devil, because she does not "bear bad fruits" if i can phrase it that way.

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

Give your friend time, she is of the world that she was born into. She is of the values of the current, dominant world. Her priority's are short sited and materialistic. Her definitions of what happiness and success is are in conflict with what is real and eternal.

Don't secretly judge your friend, love and respect her without a preachy attitude. If and when she becomes dissatisfied with herself, she will have a solid example of a Christian friend to turn to and ask about The Kingdom of Heaven.

 

[mindlight]

Hi All, hope everyone is doing well and living gloriously in Christ!

Had an interesting conversation yesterday with a non-believer, who actually (in a way, maybe it was just my perception) looked down on me for following Jesus. She is a successful career woman who has achieved much and lives a good life, she gives to the needy, generally doesnt speak ill of others and lives by a lot of "Godly principles". (Do unto others as you want done to yourself, etc, etc).

She feels accomplished that she has achieved this all on her own and hinted at the subtle changes in me (as i continue my daily struggle with patience, being more graceful and controlling my spewing tongue, it must be paying off).

It's not that she said anything directly, but implication flowed from our conversation that she considers it "cheating" that i have help, ("i can do anything through God who gives me strength" came up). It made me feel like i am weaker than what she is, not being able to amount to much without God's Holy Intervention in my life.

I KNOW this is the devil working to sow doubt in my mind, and i am by no means ashamed of it that i need God. I dont think so anyway. It DID however raise a few questions internally which i wish it hadnt.

She is a good person, in my opinion and lives a "clean" life. Without God? I dont want to consider that she draws her strength from the devil, because she does not "bear bad fruits" if i can phrase it that way.

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

Cool question, like you I know a lot of people like that. Sometimes I am a little like that myself also which is not a boast but rather an admission of weakness. Indeed Proud and self righteous people who consider themselves better than others are commonplace and we all share in this tendency to some extent. The main issue with such people is a failure of concern and vision. It is easier to feel strong if you limit your vision to your own actions and code than when your love for others shows you immense needs that you are not meeting and your love for God reveals a person so infinitely better than us that the only honest response is to depend on his grace and mercy. So to pride and self righteousness I think we have to add blindness. If this person could see how fragile her position in the universe was, the extent to which she has not helped and the standards of the God we worship she could not be so full of herself.

 

[CrystalDragon]

Hi All, hope everyone is doing well and living gloriously in Christ!

Had an interesting conversation yesterday with a non-believer, who actually (in a way, maybe it was just my perception) looked down on me for following Jesus. She is a successful career woman who has achieved much and lives a good life, she gives to the needy, generally doesnt speak ill of others and lives by a lot of "Godly principles". (Do unto others as you want done to yourself, etc, etc).

She feels accomplished that she has achieved this all on her own and hinted at the subtle changes in me (as i continue my daily struggle with patience, being more graceful and controlling my spewing tongue, it must be paying off).

It's not that she said anything directly, but implication flowed from our conversation that she considers it "cheating" that i have help, ("i can do anything through God who gives me strength" came up). It made me feel like i am weaker than what she is, not being able to amount to much without God's Holy Intervention in my life.

I KNOW this is the devil working to sow doubt in my mind, and i am by no means ashamed of it that i need God. I dont think so anyway. It DID however raise a few questions internally which i wish it hadnt.

She is a good person, in my opinion and lives a "clean" life. Without God? I dont want to consider that she draws her strength from the devil, because she does not "bear bad fruits" if i can phrase it that way.

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

It isn't the devil working to sow doubts in your mind, it's just doubt. Many of us get it once in a while.

Not all people feel that way, she's just judgemental. Ignore what she thinks.

 

[CrystalDragon]

The non-Christian woman that you are talking about is relying on the power of Satan in her life.

Many non-Christians are "good people" in that they try to live moral lives.

Please read Psalm 73. It will tell you about the final destination of non-Christians.

Many non-Christians think that Christians are "weak and that Christians use God and Jesus Christ "as a crutch"

Christians should be aware that Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of all non-Christians. Satan's influence also encompasses the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under Satan's control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions.

Satan is also called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2. He is the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31.

When the Bible says Satan has power over the world, we must remember that God has given him domain over unbelievers only. Christian Believers are no longer under the rule of Satan (Colossians 1:13). Unbelievers, on the other hand, are caught "in the snare of the devil" (2 Timothy 2:26), lie in the "power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19), and are in bondage to Satan (Ephesians 2:2).

So you're saying the good things non-Christians do are caused by Satan as well?

 

[GBRK]

Hi All, hope everyone is doing well and living gloriously in Christ!

Had an interesting conversation yesterday with a non-believer, who actually (in a way, maybe it was just my perception) looked down on me for following Jesus. She is a successful career woman who has achieved much and lives a good life, she gives to the needy, generally doesnt speak ill of others and lives by a lot of "Godly principles". (Do unto others as you want done to yourself, etc, etc).

She feels accomplished that she has achieved this all on her own and hinted at the subtle changes in me (as i continue my daily struggle with patience, being more graceful and controlling my spewing tongue, it must be paying off).

It's not that she said anything directly, but implication flowed from our conversation that she considers it "cheating" that i have help, ("i can do anything through God who gives me strength" came up). It made me feel like i am weaker than what she is, not being able to amount to much without God's Holy Intervention in my life.

I KNOW this is the devil working to sow doubt in my mind, and i am by no means ashamed of it that i need God. I dont think so anyway. It DID however raise a few questions internally which i wish it hadnt.

She is a good person, in my opinion and lives a "clean" life. Without God? I dont want to consider that she draws her strength from the devil, because she does not "bear bad fruits" if i can phrase it that way.

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

Pixey, Realize that you, and all other Christians, are exactly like other non-Christians as far as our fleshy nature and living in the fleshly body is concerned. The difference, and only one (scripturally) is that you, we, as Christians have God's Holy Spirit inside our literal human bodies as a personal ministry, of God, unto us. Consider the following Scriptures:

Ephesians 4:25-32 (CEV)
25 We are part of the same body. Stop lying and start telling each other the truth.
26 Don't get so angry that you sin. Don't go to bed angry
27 and don't give the devil a chance.
28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Be honest and work hard, so you will have something to give to people in need.
29 Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say.
30 Don't make God's Spirit sad. The Spirit makes you sure that someday you will be free from your sins.
31 Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude.
32 Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ.

AND

Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

So being a Christian doesn't mean we don't have temptations or depression or other things common to being human but we do have God's Holy Spirit to minister unto us and because of His presence within us we can experience and have the FRUITS/Benefits of God's Holy Spirit. Paul spoke of these in Galatians 5.

Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Being successful, your friend may believe you are somehow fooling yourself by believing in Christ or may not can understand the decision you made because not being a Christian she has no idea what benefits and fruits we have in God's Holy Spirit. She can also be happy and joyful but will aways have a void in her heart her life as she seeks to know and meet the creator but that's another story. People that are not Christian do at times look down upon Christians because they somehow believe we are deceiving ourselves because they have NO IDEA of the riches of knowing God and experiencing God's Spirit.intimacy account of His Holy. They/she also has no concept of who or what God is because they only know the physical and have no sense or idea of the Spiritual world around us. God is Spirit and dwells in the Spiritual realm which is apart from the physical world.

Just remember that being a Christian doesn't change the physical things we encounter for we still deal with the physical, fleshly, world and live in and interact with it. WE can be successful or we can not be, the difference is that you, as a Christian, know and see a much greater range of vision in that you not only celebrate and experience the physical world around us but you are aware of the Spiritual realm and aware that God is not just an idea but someone real and that your life is much fuller and alive because of His Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you alongside with your inner spirit/soul.

 

[LionHeart-IV]

Perhaps we are weak, for when we are weak then we are strong in Christ's power.

Some have said to me - "you Christians need God like a crutch to hold you up all the time". My reply was: no I don't need God as a crutch - I need him as stretcher!

Your friend may have it all together, but hell is full of "good people". I meet people all the time who say: "oh yes, if there was a heaven, of course, I would go there when I die because I'm such a good person". Good news - the Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God Romans 3:23. There is only one perfect person - God Himself. So we can never meet God;s standards because they are so high, that's why we needed a savior - the one Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Only though His blood can we be made clean and acceptable before God. Good works are commendable, but not enough to get a person into heaven, otherwise let's face it - none of us would make it.

So I'd say to your friend - if you were to die today, where would you go, heaven or hell?

 

[Pixey]

Don't secretly judge your friend, love and respect her without a preachy attitude. If and when she becomes dissatisfied with herself, she will have a solid example of a Christian friend to turn to and ask about The Kingdom of Heaven.

I didnt mean to judge her, and i do love her very much. I am the last kadoodle that will sound preachy also... i do not consider myself to have born enough good fruits yet to have any authority on subject matters - and i fear it might be dangerous for me to presume i can preach. I am more interested in leading a nonverbal life that will proclaim Jesus Christ. I do tend to give advice when i am approached and i have scriptures that pop into my mind - that always makes me feel like i am being lead by the Spirit to say something.

Anyway, I am still new in my walk with Christ, and consider myself a 'baby' - am spending a lot of time in the Word, absorbing as much "milk" as i possibly can before i attempt crawling. But i do have a religious education as i have always been circling & (unsuccessfully) resisting the topic of faith and submitting to God. Still there is SO MUCH i do not know and need help with.

I have learned from this thread that i do consider myself prideful also... and that is why the tone of the conversation bothered me so much - 'if she can do it, why can't i'. While i couldn't reply to everyone individually, i did make sure to read everything and, while some stuff was not applicable, this was a very educational thread for me.

I really appreciate everyone's input and time taken to help me with this stumbling stone. <3

 

[Pixey]

Thank you Pixey,
Actually two of our daughters each have one on the way so it will be #7 & #8. They both have the 2nd trimester to get through yet but we are all very excited with anticipation, especially my wife. In a way that anticipation is what the promise of God is like for believers as we sojourn here. Our time here is a blessed gift, conceived in faith we're kind of in an embryonic stage with God. His Divine hand is developing our eyes and a beating heart. He is forming hands to embrace His work of love and toes and feet shod to pursue His Gospel of Grace. His Word of hope and love is a message we readily give away because the more love of God you give away the more He gives you. It is an inexhaustible treasure we have in these jars of clay. We are all growing in Christ as we trust His message and obey the Beloved. Once He has made Himself known to us how can we help but fall more deeply in love with Him as our Savior. The hope we have now is that we know His ever faithful love will bring us through to become an everlasting child of God. How great is that? Keep sinking your roots deeper into the heart of Christ and watch how abundant those living waters of God's love blossom within your entire being.
Gotta catch a plane soon but May God bless you as you continue to grow in Jesus Name, and may God bless your family too. Amen.
In Christ, Patrick
aka John 17:20

Thank you again for your beautiful post, it glows with warmth and sincerity. I hope too that one day soon I am also so immersed in my faith to this level where I just radiate God's love. Praying for your safe travels and do update us on the arrival of your grandchildren when it's time.

 

[Episaw]

Hi All, hope everyone is doing well and living gloriously in Christ!

Had an interesting conversation yesterday with a non-believer, who actually (in a way, maybe it was just my perception) looked down on me for following Jesus. She is a successful career woman who has achieved much and lives a good life, she gives to the needy, generally doesnt speak ill of others and lives by a lot of "Godly principles". (Do unto others as you want done to yourself, etc, etc).

She feels accomplished that she has achieved this all on her own and hinted at the subtle changes in me (as i continue my daily struggle with patience, being more graceful and controlling my spewing tongue, it must be paying off).

It's not that she said anything directly, but implication flowed from our conversation that she considers it "cheating" that i have help, ("i can do anything through God who gives me strength" came up). It made me feel like i am weaker than what she is, not being able to amount to much without God's Holy Intervention in my life.

I KNOW this is the devil working to sow doubt in my mind, and i am by no means ashamed of it that i need God. I dont think so anyway. It DID however raise a few questions internally which i wish it hadnt.

She is a good person, in my opinion and lives a "clean" life. Without God? I dont want to consider that she draws her strength from the devil, because she does not "bear bad fruits" if i can phrase it that way.

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

The only thing that matters is truth because that sets you free. By the sound of things, satan has done a good job on this woman and convinced her that she is a self-sufficient person who is the arbiter of all that is. He has convinced her that she doesn't need God because her own mental faculties can work everything out.

There is a word for that. It is known as DECEPTION. The scripture says that as many as receive him...not as many as deceive him.....

At the end of the day, it is not what you know but what you don't know that counts. Until you know that you need Jesus, you don't know anything. All she has to offer is the wisdom of man/woman which we know is nothing compared to the foolishness of God.

 

[dhh712]

How come she is able to do this all on her own?

She isn't doing anything on her own. All creation lives and moves and has it's being in Jesus. She does what she does only because God has willed it. Right now, God has given her over to a reprobate mind so that she has the idea that she is self-sufficient and does not need the Lord Jesus; hopefully she will find out sooner than later that she is wrong!

She is a good person, in my opinion and lives a "clean" life. Without God? I dont want to consider that she draws her strength from the devil, because she does not "bear bad fruits" if i can phrase it that way.

She is enslaved to sin and therefore to the devil. She bears no fruit. The only fruit we bear is that which is done to the glory of God. With her being an unbeliever, it is impossible for the "good" things she does to be to the glory of God in any way (done with that motivation). Whatever is not done for God is done for selfish reasons, so whatever she is doing has its roots in self.

 

[enigmadi]

A lot of food for thought, thank you all. <3

I must admit, it really does bug me that others can be seemingly successful, happy and sincerely GOOD people without walking a path with God. Honestly, i have many friends like this and i think the conversation (although vaguely worded) was enough to bring up my own emotions of inadequacy still lingering from my own past failures.

For a couple of years i was a "Wonder Woman" myself, living a sinful life really; living to the fullest, worked hard, played harder. I went from lowly admin clerk to running my own department in 3 short years and i was thriving. Lots of friends, lots of drinking (i proudly carried the "company alcoholic" title - bizarre - afterhours, but i was the "Go To" girl when stuff needed fixing during office hours).

~ I can feel the flames of h3ll licking my buttocks again just typing that ~ Thank You Lord for never letting me go and getting me out of there ~

Then it all crashed down around my ears in the space of a year, where my strength was so depleted, and my faith in my own abilities "suddenly" vanished. I was overloaded and overburdened, hardly ever slept, always working, severely unhappy - lots of dark hours and suicide thoughts at the end of that stretch.

When i look at what my friend has accomplished, and more, in the same space of time and continuing, i kind of wish she would also crash (not to be mean, but to be honest, it is petty of me).[/QUOTE/]

Matthew 5:45 "...He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." We live in an imperfect world (result of original sin) but Christians shouldn't feel anything but blessed that we have the promise that God is ALWAYS with us.

We are not promised all good in this life; in fact, we are reminded "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt. 6:19-21)

I have prayed for lost loved ones that they will reach a point where they have no choice but to respond to the stirring of the Holy Spirit in their souls. Not a prayer for failure, really, but a prayer where they realize there is NO other way except by salvation through Christ.

 

[David K. R Bailey]

I'm new to this blog and I've started my own YouTube channel. I used to be an atheist and I've broken down a lot of the arguments that they try to defeat us with. Watch my video and like and there will be more to come. Cheers.

P.S.
I like this site and I do not think Christians are weak. I honestly feel funny about the title of the blog. God is strength. God is not weakness. I could go on but for the sake of not rambling on too much I'll leave it there. Cheers.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

ugh I really love the points made in the OP. It actually is something that I probably will Blog on sometime in the near future (this week or next). Sadly the person who originally posted is very likely not here anymore. I've been a regular for a year and don't remember them, and don't recognize a lot of the posters also responding.

P.S.
I like this site and I do not think Christians are weak. I honestly feel funny about the title of the blog. God is strength. God is not weakness. I could go on but for the sake of not rambling on too much I'll leave it there. Cheers.

It probably would have been more effective of you to have done your own thread, and maybe quoted some of the OP of this thread that you thought was particularly good, rather than necroing this dead thread and adding you short post and video (more people would read your post and watch your video).